E 90 
.W7U5 



35th Congress, ) HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. ( Report 
1st Session. \ ( No. 303. 



ELEAZER WILLIAMS, HEIR OF THOMAS WILLIAMS. 

[To accompany bill H. R. No. 5C8.] 



April 17, 1858. 

v xr i^ ' 

Mr. Pendleton, from the Committee on Military Affairs, made the 

following 

REPORT. 

The Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred the memorial 
of Mary Ann Williams, report: 

That Thomas Williams, the husband of the petitioner, was an Iro- 
quois chief of the St. Regis tribe of Indians in Canada, possessed of 
great influence and authority in his tribe, and holding in his own 
right and participating in, as a member of the tribe, a very consid- 
erable property. 

When hostilities were threatened between the United States and 
Great Britain, prior to the war of 1812, it was deemed of much import- 
ance to secure the neutrality of the Indians living in Canada ; and 
accordingly Mr. Jefferson addressed to some of their principal men a 
letter urging upon them the propriety of remaining neutral, and in 
case they should find this impossible while remaining in Canada, in- 
viting them to come over to this country with the promise that they 
should find here new settlements, and kindness and protection from 
our people. 

When the war actually commenced General Dearborn was in com- 
mand of the troops in western New York, and induced the said Thomas 
Williams, with other influential chiefs, to quit their homes and fami- 
lies and join the fortunes of the United States, under the assurance 
that they should be taken care of and receive a reasonable compensa- 
tion. The services rendered were of the most efficient and valuable 
character, and were continued without intermission until the close of 
the war. Two sons of the said Thomas Williams as well as himself 
were engaged actively in military operations, and received the com- 
mendations of their officers for their zeal, bravery, and fidelity. In 
consequence of leaving the territory of Great Britain he was deprived 
of the property which he held in his own right and as a member of 
the tribe ; and being forbidden to return he was compelled to remain 
and take up his residence in the State of New York. 

The amount of property which he owned in Canada, including that 



W7U6 



2 ELEAZER WILLIAMS. 

in which as a member of the tribe he participated, is proven by many 
affidavits to have been at least fourteen thousand dollars ($14,000 ;) 
by some it is stated to have been as much as sixteen thousand dollars 
($16,000.) 

In 1815, soon after the peace, the case was laid before the government, 
and on the 23d of January, 1816, an order from the War Department 
was issued to the commanding officer at Plattsburg, in New York, to 
furnish Williams with six rations per day for support of himself and 
family until further orders. The rations were furnished for some time 
and were then discontinued only because of the evacuation of that mili- 
tary post. The " further orders" were never given. 

After these rations were in this way cut off, Williams lived for some 
years in great poverty, and finally dying, left his widow, the memo- 
rialist, at an advanced age, without property and dependant upon 
the charity of her son. 

Since the riling of this memorial she has died, leaving as her sole 
heir and devisee her son, the Rev. Eleazer Williams, who is likewise 
the sole surviving son and heir of the said Thomas Williams. 

These facts are abundantly proven by the evidence submitted to the 
committee, the most part of which is attached hereto. 

Your committee are perfectly satisfied with the cotemporaneous con- 
struction of the contract between General Dearborn, on behalf of the 
government, and Williams, as evidenced by the order to furnish " six 
rations per day for the support of himself and family until further 
orders," and is of the opinion that the good faith of the government 
is pledged to carry it out fully and fairly, by paying to the represen- 
tative of the said memorialist the value of six rations per day from the 
date of the abandonment of the military post at Plattsburg until the 
1st day of May, 1856, the date of her death, and continuing to the 
said Eleazer Williams, the surviving member of the family, during 
his life, the payment of a yearly sum equal to one-half the amount 
allowed by the said order for the support of the whole family, and 
report a bill accordingly. 



In the House of Representatives, January 16, 1857. 

To the honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 
States of America in Congress assembled : 

The memorial and petition of Mary Ann Williams, of the St. Kegis 
tribe, in the county of Franklin, in the State of New York, respect- 
fully showeth : 

That your memorialist is the widow of the late Thomas Williams, 
an Iroquois chief of the aforesaid tribe ; that he was a native of Canada, 
and of the Iroquois nation of Indians ; and that in consequence of the 
menacing aspect of affairs between the United States and Great Britain, 
the government of this country became solicitous to gain the co-opera- 
tion or secure the neutrality of the various tribes of Indians in the 
vicinity of the northern frontier. With this view President Jefferson, 



ELEAZER WILLIAMS. 3 

in 1808, addressed an earnest letter to those Indians, the original of 
which is in the possession of your memorialist, (marked A,) in which, 
after recommending to them to maintain a neutral attitude in case 
war should occur between the two countries, he says : " Should the 
English insist on their taking up the hatchet against us, if they choose 
rather to break up their settlements and come over to live in peace 
with us, we will find other settlements for them, and they shall be- 
come our children." 

Your memorialist further represents that it was well known to the 
American government that the husband of your memorialist, Thomas 
Williams, was one of the chiefs of the Iroquois nation, and that he 
possessed a very great influence with his own and other tribes within 
the British dominions. In fact, he was regarded as capable of deter- 
mining the part which they should take in the anticipated war ; and 
it became important, therefore, to engage his efficient co-operation and 
good wishes- He was consequently, when hostilities commenced, 
especially invited to join the American standard, and to repress, by 
his influence and efforts, any warlike movements which might be con- 
templated by his own or other tribes against the United States. 

For the services which he was asked to render he was assured that 
he and his family should receive a support during the war, and a full 
indemnity for any losses he might sustain in consequence of connect- 
ing himself with this country. Feeling entire confidence in these 
assurances, he came to the United States in the beginning of 1813 ; 
engaged warmly in the American cause, and exerted, with great suc- 
cess, his influence with his own and neighboring tribes in Lower 
Canada. It is well known to the inhabitants on the northern frontier 
that those nations took no part against the United States in that war. 

In consequence of thus abandoning the cause and leaving the terri- 
tories of Great Britain, the husband of your memorialist was deprived 
as well of his own property as that in which he participated as one 
of the tribe ; and, at the termination of the war, his conduct having 
awakened the resentment of the British functionaries, and particularly 
those connected with the Indian department, he was prohibited from 
returning among them. Thus compelled to fix himself in the State 
of New York, where he resided but a short time before his death, 
greatly advanced in years, and was for many years wholly incapable 
of maintaining himself, his own property has been sacrificed in fur- 
thering the views and advancing the interest of the United States. 

Your memorialist would further represent that, in confirmation of 
the foregoing statement that the deceased chief and his family were 
to be sustained and supported by the government, an order was issued 
by the War Department on January 23, 1816, to the commanding 
officer at Plattsburg, "to issue six rations per day to Thomas Williams, 
an Iroquois chief, for the support of himself and family, until further 
orders," (marked B.) 

Under this order the deceased chief received rations only one year 
after the date of the said order, and this in consequence of the military 
post at Plattsburg being evacuated ; and from that period up to the 
time of his death he received no more rations from the government, 
although the order was " never revoked," (paper C.) Your memo- 



4 



ELEAZER WILLIAMS. 



rialist conceives that the accompanying letter (marked D) from Mr. 
Graham, the Secretary of War, to Thomas R. Gold, esq., sufficiently 
showeth that the chief and his family " have still a well-founded claim 
to compensation from the government." And your memorialist, "being 
greatly advanced in years, and wholly incapable of maintaining her- 
self, therefore, in her own behalf and family, prays that she may yet 
be fully allowed the rations according to the aforementioned order of 
the War Department, and that she and her family be liberally remu- 
nerated for the services rendered by her late deceased husband to the 
United States. 

Your memorialist and petitioner, as in duty bound, will ever pray. 

MARY ANN + WILLIAMS. 

mark. 

Signed in presence of — 

Eleazer Williams. 
Hogansburg, September, 1849. 



A. 

To Colonel Louis Cook and Jacob Francis, of the St. Begis Indians. 

My Children : I take you by the hand, and all the people of St. 
Regis within the limits of the United States, and I desire to speak to 
them through you. A great misunderstanding has taken place be- 
tween the English and the United States ; and although we desire to 
live in peace with all the world and unmolested, yet it is not quite 
certain whether this difference will end in peace or war. Should war 
take place, do you, my children, remain at home in peace, taking care 
of your wives and children. You have no concern in our quarrel ; 
take, therefore, no part in it. We do not wish you to spill your blood 
in our battles ; we can fight them ourselves. Say the same to your 
red brethren everywhere ; let them remain neutral and quiet, and we 
will never disturb them ; and should the English insist on their taking 
up the hatchet against us, if they choose rather to break up their set- 
tlements and come over to live in peace with us, we will find other 
settlements for them, and they shall become our children. The red 
nations who shall remain in peace with the United States shall forever 
find them true friends and fathers ; those who commence against them 
an unprovoked war must expect their lasting enmity. 

My children, I wish you well and a safe return to your own country. 

TH. JEFFERSON. 

May 5, 1808. 



B. 

Department of War, 

January 23, 1816. 

Sir : You will please to direct that six rations per day be issued to 
Thomas Williams, an Iroquois chief, for the support of himself and 



ELEAZER WILLIAMS. 



5 



family, until further orders. The rations may be delivered to him 
from time to time, as he shall be able to carry them to his residence, 
which I understand is too distant to be received daily, or even weekly. 
You are also authorized to present to him three suits of clothing, such 
as are supplied to the soldiers of the United States. 
I have the honor to be, &c, 

WM. IT. CRAWFORD. 

Officer Commanding at 

Plattsburg, New York. 



C. 

Department of War, 
Office of Indian Affairs, December 12, 1835. 

Sir : Your letter of the 3d ultimo, to the Secretary of War, has 
been referred to this office. 

After diligent searcn, it cannot be found that the order in 1816, 
authorizing the furnishing of rations to Thomas Williams, has ever 
been revoked. 

Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 

ELBERT HERRING-. 

Mr. Eleazer Williams, 

Hogansburg , Neiv York. 



Whitestown, New York, 

April 25, 1817. 

Sir : Mr. Thomas Williams, possessing extensive influence over the 
Indians in Canada, and there resident at the commencement of the 
late war, was induced by General Dearborn to restrain the Indians 
from aiding the British in the war, General D. pledging himself to 
provide for him, Williams. Williams was finally obliged to abandon 
his property, about $13,000, and to remove to the United States. He 
repaired to Washington in the winter of 1816, and presented his 
claims, which were referred to the Secretary of War. The claim was 
suspended for the proofs as to his property in Canada. Proof was 
afterwards furnished. I am requested to ask what determination has 
been made on his claim, and what may be expected from the govern- 
ment. Please, sir, inform me. 
_ I am, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant, 

THOS. R. GOLD. 

Hon. Grorge Graham, 

Aciing Secretary, (tc. 



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ELEAZER WILLIAMS. 



D. 

An extract from a letter from George Graham to Thomas B. Gold, esq. 

Department of War, 

August 16, 1817. 

Sir : Your letter of 25th April was duly received. The papers in 
the case of Thomas and Eleazer Williams had all been before Mr. 
Crawford, but were not acted upon by him while Secretary of War. 
On the receipt of your letter, I had the papers collected, with the 
intention of laying them before the President previous to his departure 
on his tour ; but the account of Eleazer Williams and agreement with 
General Dearborn, which he states to have been forwarded to this de- 
partment by Mr. Savage, are not with the papers, nor have I since 
been able to find them, and there is no memorandum of their having 
been received. 

From the answers of General Dearborn and General Mooers to the 
letters addressed by this department to them in relation to these claim- 
ants, it appears that they have a tuell-founded claim to compensation 
from the government; but how far the executive government can grant 
them compensation for the property lost in Canada is doubtful. 
With sentiments of great respect and esteem, &c, 

GEOKGE GRAHAM. 

Thomas R. Gold, Esq. , 

Whitestown, New York. 



E. 

Platsburg, September 8, 1815. 
We hereby certify that Thomas Williams, a chief of the Iroquois na- 
tion of Indians, known by the name of Cahnawaga, in consequence of 
his attachment to the United States during the late war, left his resi- 
dence, in the province of lower Canada, and came to the United States, 
where he now remains ; the consequence of which, it is said, was the 
loss of considerable property, large expenses, and other personal 
inconveniences. 

BENJ. MOOERS, 
PETER SAILLY. 



I, Eleazer Williams, of Lawrence, in the county of Brown and State 
of Wisconsin, testify and say : That I was in the secret service of the 
United States in the war which commenced in 1812 ? and that I had 
the charge and commanded the secret corps of observation on the north- 
ern frontier during the said war ; and that it was through me that my 
father, Thomas Williams, an Iroquois chief, was especially invited, in 
behalf of the general government, by Major General Dearborn, of the 
United States army, and Major General Mooers, of the New York 



ELEAZER WILLIAMS. 



7 



division, to join the American standard, and to repress, by his influ- 
ence and efforts, any warlike movements which might be contemplated 
by his own and other tribes against the United States. For the ser- 
vices which he was asked to render he was assured that he and his 
family should receive a support during the war, and a full indemnity 
for any losses which he might sustain in consequence of connecting 
himself with the United States. Having a great confidence in these 
assurances, he came to the United States in 1813, engaged warmly in 
the American cause, and exerted, with great success, his influence 
with his own and neighboring tribes in the Canadas. 

And further, I testify that instead of receiving his support and 
family's from the government, as he was promised, it was only occa- 
sionally some rations were issued to him, and these were obtained, 
with much difficulty, from the commissariat department ; and to pre- 
vent their suffering for want of food and clothing I was compelled to 
sustain them ; and that the War Department had such a strong evi- 
dence of his claim upon the government for the promised rations, it 
issued an order on January 23, 1816, u six rations per day, for the 
support of himself and family until further orders." Which order 
was intended, and so understood at the time by the War Department 
and Thomas Williams, that it should continue for a series of years ; 
but, instead of this, its continuance was but for a short time, in con- 
sequence of the post at Plattsburg, whence he drew his rations, being 
evacuated by the troops ; and that, according to the best of my know- 
ledge, said Thomas Williams was never indemnified for his losses of 
property, or remunerated by the United States for his services, as he 
was promised by the government through me, as one of its secret 
agents, when he was invited to join her standard in 1812 ; and that 
the sacrifices and losses he sustained in property for so doing were 
estimated to be between seven and eight thousand dollars, and besides 
the annuity of two hundred and fifty dollars which he was allowed 3 
and received, from the British government. 

In confirmation of the value of the above property, affidavits were 
made by persons of probity and honor, from Canada, before the Hon- 
orable Pliny Mooers, of Champlain, in the county of Clinton and State 
of New York, in March, 1816. The same were forwarded to the War 
Department by Mr. Savage, then a member of Congress from the State 
of New York. It is to these papers that Mr. George Graham, Secre- 
tary of War, in his letter to the Honorable Thomas K. Gold, (of 16th 
August, 1817,) refers, when he says: " The papers in the cases of 
Thomas Williams and Eleazer Williams had been all before Mr. 
Crawford, but were not acted upon by him while Secretary of War. 
I had the papers collected, with the intention of laying them before 
the President previous to his departure on his tour." 

ELEAZER WILLIAMS. 

Personally appeared Eleazer Williams, to me well known, and made 
oath to the truth of the foregoing deposition, by him subscribed before 
me this 18th day of January, 1850. 

EDWARD OUTHWAITE, 
Notary Public, Brown county, Wisconsin. 



8 



ELEAZER WILLIAMS. 



A letter from the Hon. John Savage, the late Chancellor of the State of 
New York, to D. L. Vanderheyden, Esq. 

Salem, July 1, 1816. 

Dear Sir : Yours of the 25th ultimo is hut just received. All I 
can say in answer is, that the Secretary of War, to whom the petition 
of Thomas Williams was referred, made no report. I presented to 
him the affidavits sent me hy Mr. Williams, hut he gave me no inti- 
mation on the subject from which I can give an opinion as to the 
probahle result. My own opinion is, that compensation ought to he 
made him upon principles of justice as well as policy. Whether the 
Secretary entertains the same opinion I know not. Much will depend 
upoQ his report. 

I am, dear sir, very respectfully, yours, &c, 

JOHN SAVAGE. 

D. L. Vanderheyden, Esq. 



Extract from letter of General Dearborn, dated February 18, 1816, to 
the War Department, and now on file there. 

"His father (Thomas Williams) was an influential chief, and was 
unwilling to take up arms against the United States ; and in the 
course of the year he and two or three other chiefs quitted their fam- 
ilies and wives and came over to us. I assured them that they should 
be taken care of, and receive a reasonable compensation." 



1 1 ,£\ . *i n i £ 1 



